


Such a Softer Sin

by soundofkyu



Category: INFINITE (Band)
Genre: M/M, a collection of soft soft moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-01-20 22:01:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21288851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soundofkyu/pseuds/soundofkyu
Summary: in·ti·ma·cy | \ ˈin-tə-mə-sē  \1: the state of being intimate : FAMILIARITY2: something of a personal or private natureSunggyu has learned that love blooms in the smallest of moments.
Relationships: Kim Sunggyu/Nam Woohyun
Comments: 50
Kudos: 55





	1. In a Moment of Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> There are a couple of small moments that I have wanted to write, but haven't managed to slip into any of my works. This will be a collection of short scenes, each as a stand-alone chapter. I may change the rating in the future, but mostly these will be soft soft. 
> 
> The title is from The Used's "I Caught Fire".

Sunggyu finds Woohyun exactly where he left him: hunched over his in-home studio desk, hair mussed up from frustration and reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose. He is sitting in the chair with one foot up, his knee pulled tightly against his chest, as he stares blankly at the monitor. Sunggyu plays a mental game of ‘spot the difference’ from when he received a distracted mumble of “have a good day” as he left that morning. There are three: what seems like their entire mug collection is decorating the desk, there is a cat sleeping on top of a speaker too expensive to be a pet bed and the room is littered with crinkled notebook pages in various stages of destruction. Sunggyu reaches down to pick up a ripped-out page that rests near his foot by the door. The lyrics scrawled in Woohyun’s shorthand have been struck out so roughly the paper has been punctured. It hasn’t been a productive day based off of Sunggyu’s educated guess. 

A soft thud draws Sunggyu’s attention back to the man in front of him. Woohyun has slumped over completely, forehead heavily resting on the edge of the desk as an unfinished melody replays on loop softly. Socked feet gently pad across the carpet, avoiding each ripped page, as Sunggyu tries to get closer to his boyfriend without making a sound. Woohyun lets out an exhausted sigh moments before Sunggyu spreads one of his hands lightly across the younger man’s shoulder. 

Woohyun startles momentarily before turning his head slightly in Sunggyu’s direction as an inaudible whine tumbles through his lips. Sunggyu crouches down so that he’s on the same level and rests his face on the desk next to Woohyun. He rubs his hand across Woohyun’s shoulders soothingly, moving along the defined muscle with feathery touches intended to draw out the tension. Woohyun closes his eyes when Sunggyu’s hand slides up his spine, long fingers tangling in the soft hair at the nape of his neck. Sunggyu slowly curls shiny strands of hair around his finger, watching the worry of the day drain from Woohyun’s features under Sunggyu’s touch. 

After a few minutes the room fills with silence when the computer goes to sleep. The only sound is Woohyun’s evening out breaths falling quietly against Sunggyu’s face. Another few minutes pass and Woohyun gradually opens his eyes to look fondly at Sunggyu, the corner of his lips pulling up into a smile. Sunggyu ruffles his fingers quickly through Woohyun’s hair one last time before leaning in, planting a kiss so gentle that Woohyun barely feels the heat of lips on his forehead, and stands up, holding a hand out for Woohyun to take. 

“Let’s go to bed, darling mandu.”


	2. In a Small Gesture

Sunggyu is exhausted. He has been performing in the musical every other day while also juggling all the duties of a senior soldier. The only thing getting him through the last week has been the shining eyes of Inspirit in the musical audience and the promise of a leave day from the barracks, a chance to sleep in his own bed.

When Sunggyu was told he would be given leave for 24 hours he immediately called Woohyun. He has seen Woohyun a couple times since being stationed in Seoul for his first military musical run, but it hasn’t been what they both need. There are always other people around, people that can never know the true depths of their relationship. Sunggyu misses the intimacy of touching Woohyun, being held by him, waking up in his arms. This is why Sunggyu was crushed when Woohyun whispered into the phone line that he had a comeback schedule that could not be moved, disappointment lacing his words.

Sunggyu slumps against the window of his manager’s car and briefly contemplates asking him to turn around and take him to Woohyun’s apartment instead of his own. For years Sunggyu has found home wrapped in Woohyun’s cotton sheets, surrounded by his scent and warmth. Even if Woohyun won’t be there, Sunggyu will let himself into the other’s apartment just for a nap (being woken up by light kisses across his face is another added perk). But tonight, that probably isn’t an option. If Woohyun is too busy to see him, he is probably also too busy to feed the cats and Sunggyu is too tired for the possibility of holding a conversation with Woohyun’s mother that checks up on the furballs when Woohyun or Sunggyu cannot.

When Sunggyu eventually stumbles into his apartment half an hour later he is surprised that the air doesn’t feel stale from disuse. Walking into the living space he also notices that nothing is dusty, and he starts to get suspicious that someone has been in here. That is when he notices a note left on the kitchen bench: “I changed your sheets, sleep well kyuzizi – namu ♡_♡”. A small smile blossoms on Sunggyu’s face as he thinks about how amazing Woohyun is to make him feel loved even when he isn’t with the man. Sunggyu’s lungs feel heavy with longing when he turns towards the bathroom to hurry through his night-time routine. 

Beyond excited to fall into his own bed for the first time in months, he flops onto the bed clumsily and face down, his limbs heavy and head foggy. As he sinks deeper into the sheets, he starts to feel calm, feels at home, feels like Woohyun is there. Sunggyu presses his face into the cotton pillowcase and inhales deeply, mind catching up and noticing that his bed lingers with the warm, clean scent of Woohyun. He feels tears prick in the corner of his eyes, missing the younger man more than he thought possible.

Tightly wrapped in the soft cotton and enveloped by his favourite scent, Sunggyu unlocks his phone to send a quick text. He wants to desperately to call and hear Woohyun’s voice but knows that Woohyun is too busy for that.

**Sunggyu | 11:47pm **

Hyun, I am not complaining but how does my bed smell like you?

**Woohyun | 12:01am **

I broke in and slept there last night~

**Sunggyu | 12:01am **

I’m calling the police for breaking and entering -.-

**Woohyun | 2:08am **

I love you, too


	3. In a Playful Laugh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a curious cat that said "Woohyun accompanying sunggyu to get his flu shots" and it gave me an idea. It isn't exactly the prompt but I hope you enjoy it anyway, anon!

It isn’t like Sunggyu has a phobia. A ‘phobia’ suggests an extreme irrational fear and if you ask Sunggyu, fear of sharp objects painfully piercing his skin is _very_ rational, Thank You Very Much! However, Woohyun refuses to listen to sensible, reasonable logic and thinks the annual flu vaccine is the most hilarious event on their schedule. Despite his fears, Sunggyu can be rational and understands the benefits of preventing Infinite being taken down mid-promotion by the flu. That doesn’t mean he sleeps any better the night before they are due to visit the hospital though.

The sound of Dongwoo and Sungyeol’s laughter bleeding through the walls greets Sunggyu awake. He’s warm and cozy in bed, but the pitch of the laughter suggests a mischief that needs investigating, so Sunggyu kicks the covers off and sits up with a groan. Sunggyu is rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he stumbles into the living space, just in time to witness Woohyun doing an <strike>embarrassingly realistic</strike> exaggerated reenactment of Sunggyu’s fainting spell the year before. Woohyun falls to the ground in slow-motion, arm resting over his eyes like a Victorian woman with a case of the vapours.

This must have been going on for some time because Dongwoo has tears streaming down his face from laughing too hard and Sungyeol is bent over slapping the ground. None of the boys have noticed Sunggyu in the door, completely unaware of the danger they are in. When Woohyun rolls over to push himself up from the floor he freezes: Sunggyu’s expression is enough to drop a braver man dead. The three men look stricken as Sunggyu turns around without saying a word. When Sunggyu falls back into bed, cheeks dusted with heat from embarrassment, he tries to remember if they have orange juice in the fridge to help ward off another fainting incident.

Sunggyu hears the door open softly and feet shuffling across the room, his back turned and face pressed into the pillow. He can tell it’s Woohyun from the way his breaths fall, however the younger boy simply hovers next to the bed without speaking. Sunggyu knows that Woohyun is probably trying to work out how to apologise, so he lifts the duvet in an invitation. A small moment later and the warmth of Woohyun starts to spread along Sunggyu’s back and fills the bed.

Woohyun’s nose nuzzles into Sunggyu’s nape, followed by warm lips pressed in a gentle kiss. “I got carried away, Hyung. I’m sorry for teasing” the younger boy whispers. He sounds genuine, but Sunggyu wants to draw this out, make Woohyun suffer in silence for a little while longer. When Sunggyu doesn’t respond, Woohyun continues whispering comforting words, warm breath falling on Sunggyu’s neck and warm hands caressing his stomach, Woohyun’s weight pressing him further into the mattress.

“It will be over so quickly”.

“I think manager-hyung has some of those numbing patches”.

“I’ll hold your hand this year”.

“Even if you faint again, I’ll catch you”.

Woohyun’s words trail off, he pauses and Sunggyu is about to speak; the comforting words have defrosted him, and forgiveness has been granted. Before Sunggyu has a chance to turn over and reassure Woohyun, Woohyun’s lips press to Sunggyu’s ear and he whispers in a deeper tone “You don’t mind when _I_ poke you”, simultaneously rolling his hips suggestively into Sunggyu’s ass.

The joke is so ridiculous, so out of place with the other whispered words and so _Woohyun_ that Sunggyu can’t hold back his laugh. A bright laugh rushes out of Sunggyu’s lungs that quickly turns into a disbelieving groan as Sunggyu turns over to slap Woohyun playfully on the arm.

“You did _not_ just say that!” Sunggyu snorts.

Woohyun looks far too pleased with himself begins to laugh in hiccups, pressing kiss after kiss on Sunggyu’s face until it’s all Sunggyu can focus on - needles and doctors and pain long forgotten.


	4. In a Therapeutic Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my cc anon for another great prompt - Woohyun's shoulder acting up and needs Sunggyu to massage it. I hope that you enjoy~

The sound of the shower running can faintly be heard in the distance as a football match plays on the television. The volume is turned down low enough that Woohyun can barely hear the commentators, but he doesn’t care tonight. The throbbing pain in his shoulder too distracting to pay attention to anything else. Dance practice had been tougher than usual, Woohyun pushing his body beyond its limits and then some in preparation for Infinite’s comeback. Woohyun presses the tips of his fingers into his shoulder digging in behind where his collarbone juts out. He hisses in pain, swearing lightly under his breath and regrets not listening to ADDM suggesting he sit out the last half hour.

Woohyun hears the water shut off in the bathroom and sinks further into the sofa with an exasperated sigh. Woohyun can cope with the realities of his injury on most days, he accepted long ago that it would never be completely healed. What he can’t handle is the niggling thought in the back of his mind that he’s holding back Infinite from reaching their full potential. He worries about being able to perform on stage next week, next year, next decade. 

Before Woohyun sinks too deeply into his thoughts, the sofa dips and the comforting scent of Sunggyu’s cotton body wash fills his lungs. Woohyun turns to press his cheek onto Sunggyu’s shoulder, letting all his weight press against the warmth of the older man. Sunggyu shakes Woohyun off, but only so that he can loop an arm around Woohyun’s shoulders and pull him in closer. Woohyun feels Sunggyu’s hand rest against his own, still pressed into his injured shoulder. Sunggyu squeezes his hand gently, simultaneously pressing a kiss into Woohyun’s hair.

“It’s bothering you today?” Sunggyu knowingly enquires following up with “Do you want a massage?”.

Woohyun is _so grateful_ he doesn’t think he can speak, simply nodding a yes into Sunggyu’s shoulder. Sunggyu chuckles, the laugh barely making it out of his chest as he sits them both up, helping Woohyun settle on the floor and pull his shirt over his head. Woohyun has his back pressed against the sofa and Sunggyu’s knees on either side of his shoulders.

Sunggyu starts lightly, long graceful fingers gliding over Woohyun’s tan skin. Woohyun briefly thinks about how incredible it is that his skin still burns where Sunggyu touches him, even after all these years. Each contact point tingling, moving to form a shiver that runs down Woohyun’s spine. However, the injured man doesn’t have long to dwell on this thought – it doesn’t take long until Sunggyu presses his palms harder, kneading out the knots that have built up. A groan slips from Woohyun’s throat, the pain somehow blissful under Sunggyu’s touch.

Woohyun feels all the worries he’d had earlier bleed away, rapidly becoming putty under Sunggyu’s touch. Sunggyu’s touches become lighter, lingering, more suggestive as time goes on. It brings Woohyun’s attention back to the man sitting behind him, so he leans his head back to rest against Sunggyu’s thighs. When Woohyun has eye contact, his lips stretch into an appreciative smile and he’s sure he looks just as blissed out and relaxed as he feels. Sunggyu threads one of his hands into Woohyun’s hair and pulls his heavy head up to press a short kiss onto Woohyun’s plump lips.

When Sunggyu starts pulling away Woohyun whines, sitting up to follow Sunggyu’s lips. He manages to catch Sunggyu’s bottom lip between his own, turning his head to deepen the kiss as he settles into Sunggyu’s lap. Woohyun could never get tired of kissing Sunggyu. He loves the way Sunggyu’s hands cradle his head, the feeling of Sunggyu lightly sucking on his plump bottom lip, the taste of Sunggyu as he licks into Woohyun’s mouth, running his tongue behind Woohyun’s top teeth. They kiss lazily for a few moments, both too exhausted for it to lead to anything, before Woohyun breaks the kiss, pressing his face into the crook of Sunggyu’s neck. He tightens his thighs and arms around Sunggyu’s body, speaking his request onto Sunggyu’s skin with the cutest tone he possesses.

“Carry me to bed, Gyu”.

Sunggyu rolls his eyes, the gesture out of place with the fond smile that spreads across his kiss bruised lips, before using all the strength he has to maneuverer into a standing position without dropping the man in his arms (who is not helping in the slightest).


	5. In a Moment of Pride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For my dearest pal, InfiniteObsession, who asked for Sunggyu getting so choked up in the studio watching Woohyun that he can't engage in their usual banter. This ended up being an embarrassing ramble about how much I love Woohyun, but I hope that you can still enjoy! 
> 
> (Let's all just pretend that the Stranger recording happened in an alternate universe where Sunggyu wasn't enlisted >.<)

For as long as Sunggyu can remember he and Woohyun have been present for the other’s vocal recordings. It started out in rivalry, needing to know exactly how many takes the other boy took to get the ok from the producer – bragging rights for whoever laid down perfect vocals faster. But over time, as their friendship blossomed, the attendance stopped being watchful and started being support. The teasing comments and critical eye didn’t disappear, the words simply tasted sweeter rolling off their tongues instead of being bitter with jealously.

At 4:37am that morning, Sunggyu had been woken up by the ping of a text and the brightness of his phone screen flooding his pillow with light. It was from Woohyun, asking him if he would be at the studio later that afternoon, followed by a string of emojis of Woohyun’s face. This unusual request for what has been unspoken for years and the hour of the message told Sunggyu that Woohyun was nervous about the recording; he just wasn’t sure why.

Sunggyu climbs into his manager’s car hours later and gratefully accepts the iced americano, having not been able to fall back to sleep after confirming with Woohyun that he will be in the studio. He immediately starts pestering his manager for information on Woohyun’s condition: “Is he rested? Did he seem nervous? What is the recording for today? Did he ask for a double-shot coffee? Did he sound tired? How does he look?”. The manager indulges Sunggyu but doesn’t have useful information and Sunggyu must accept that not everyone is as attuned to Woohyun’s every thought and expression as Sunggyu.

When they finally make it to the Woollim building, Sunggyu rushes in, telling himself that it’s to escape the prying eyes of any fans lingering on the road and not because of how nervous he feels about the recording session. He climbs the stairs two at a time and pushes the recording booth door open quickly. To his surprise Woohyun is already behind the glass, headphones on and leaning against the wall as he concentrates on listening to the playback of his vocals. The sound engineer glances over, recognition flashing in her eyes. She wordlessly invites him in, pushing out the chair sitting beside her with her foot.

It doesn’t take long for Sunggyu to grasp onto the final puzzle piece to explain why Woohyun had been so nervous. This particular track is raw and suggestive in a way that Woohyun has never been before. Sunggyu knows that Woohyun’s drive comes from a deep need to share his life, his thoughts, his emotions and his desires through his music. It has been a constant battle between Woohyun and the company about how honest he can be, how far he can push the boundaries of the ‘Idol’ label and carefully crafted image Woohyun has built. It was never just Woollim holding Woohyun back though: Woohyun has always cared more deeply about the fans than Sunggyu thought was possible and there is a fear of disappointing them that often reins Woohyun in.

Sunggyu remembers a night a few months prior, when Woohyun had come in the door buzzing with energy after a writing session, pushing a scribbled on lyric sheet into Sunggyu’s hands. Woohyun’s eyes were shining as he talked animatedly about how ‘Stranger’ was exactly the direction he wanted to be moving in. A track he can dance to, a track he can use to mature his image and show all his potential. Sunggyu had been excited, Woohyun’s energy had always been infectious, but he didn’t really _get it_ until just now, frozen in the recording studio chair. Sunggyu’s chest swells with pride and love as he thinks about the young boy he first met; the boy who tried so hard to be liked by everyone, even if that meant sacrificing what Woohyun himself wanted. The man standing in front of Sunggyu today is so far from that young boy, taking the exact risks he needs to show the public a new side of himself and Sunggyu is proud, proud, proud.

In that moment Woohyun finally looks up and notices Sunggyu’s presence. Woohyun’s lips pull into a wide smile that creases his face and crinkles his eyes as he speaks: “Hyung, you don’t have anything to say about that note I just missed?”. Sunggyu opens his mouth to respond, and shocks himself when the lump in his throat chokes his teasing words. He feels tears starting to swim in eyes and blush flower on his cheekbones. Sunggyu tries to pull himself together with a deep breath, which expels a truth from his lungs that he didn’t intend to convey:

“It… It’s per… perfect. You’re perfect, Hyun”.


	6. In a Moment of Rivalry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sunggyu mentioning that he watches football in his spare time got me thinking about why he became interested in the first place. As an avid Chelsea supporter it hurts a little to write Sunggyu as a gooner but these are the sacrifices we must make, right? 
> 
> For non-football fans, all you need to know is the Tottenham/Arsenal rivalry is probably the fiercest in English football.

Sunggyu rips the duvet cover off the bed and wraps it around his shoulders as he shuffles into the dark living room. He falls onto the large sofa and curls up close to Woohyun, seeking his boyfriend’s warmth. Sunggyu’s cold hands slide around Woohyun’s waist, causing the younger man to startle, but he doesn’t push Sunggyu away. Sunggyu settles in while draping the duvet over them both. The room almost feels damp with the 5:00am cold of a winter morning. The heating had only been turned on thirty minutes prior when Woohyun, the more dedicated of the two, had gotten up to watch the pre-game build up. Sunggyu thinks that waking up at 5:00am for a football match was already asking too much of a sleep deprived idol and he wasn’t going to open his eyes one minute earlier than he needed too. The referee blows the whistle for kick off the exact moment a contented sigh leaves Sunggyu’s lungs when he finds a comfortable position.

It was only a matter of time before Woohyun’s enthusiasm for football seeped into Sunggyu’s life. To be fair, Sunggyu didn’t fight too hard. It was impossible not to catch the football fever listening to Woohyun animatedly talk about the game, his eyes lighting up with passion. When something makes the person you love that happy, Sunggyu thinks it’s the easiest thing in the world to let it into your own life. Woohyun, a lifetime Tottenham supporter, did his level best to steer Sunggyu towards Hotspur, even sneaking the older man out of the hotel on their London tour back in 2015 just to look at the stadium and picture what attending a game would be like. Woohyun forgot one important fact however: Sunggyu is a son of a bitch that likes to make things fun.

_Sunggyu walks into the apartment, the parcel he woke up early to retrieve safely tucked under his arm and mischievous grin on his face. With perfect timing Woohyun’s socked feet rounds the corner, bedhair going in every direction and trackpants hanging loosely off his hips. Woohyun freezes when he sees Sunggyu, eyes narrowing with suspicion at the expression on Sunggyu’s face. He tilts his head in question, but Sunggyu doesn’t say anything, simply walks past Woohyun into their bedroom and takes off his shirt. Woohyun, extremely confused, loiters near the door trying to see what Sunggyu is up to. _

_When the parcel rips open, Sunggyu draws on every drop of showmanship he has learned as an idol and slowly reveals the shiny red fabric of a football jersey, pulling it over his head before turning to face his boyfriend. Woohyun’s eyes are impossibly large, betrayal darkening the usual warm brown. “You wouldn’t…” Woohyun whispers. “Hyung… absolutely not” his voice is rising in both tone and volume “you cannot do this to me, don’t you love me?” _

_“Of course I love you, Hyun. Why do you think I put all this effort into preparing for the North London Derby later tonight?” Sunggyu states like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, pulling on the jersey to show off the Arsenal logo that is causing his boyfriend so much pain. _

_Woohyun rushes over and starts tugging on the jersey “Take it off, Hyung!!” He’s practically yelling at this point, and every giggle that rolls off Sunggyu’s tongue as he playfully fights off the shorter man only fuels Woohyun’s rage. _

For something that started as a joke, Sunggyu has become an avid fan of the Gunners. His friendship with Woohyun was born out of arguments and petty comments, long before it bloomed into the steady support their relationship provides now. So Sunggyu thinks it’s perfect that they can put all their energy into bickering about football or gloating to the other when their team is victorious.

“No, no, no, no, no… NO!!!” Woohyun’s raised voice and fidgeting pulls Sunggyu out of memories and back to the game just in time to see Ozil tap the ball behind the goal line. “THAT WAS OFFSIDE IS THE REF FUCKING BLIND? HOW DOES HE HAVE A JOB AT THIS POINT” Woohyun screams, pushing Sunggyu away in frustration before Sunggyu even has a chance to say anything.

But Sunggyu doesn’t say a word, he isn’t even watching his own team celebrate on the television; all his attention is on the man next to him and Sunggyu is hit with a wave of how much he loves him. When Woohyun finally turns, Sunggyu sees a frown forming and a question flicker in Woohyun’s eyes, no doubt wondering what the soft expression on Sunggyu’s face means. Sunggyu quickly pulls himself together, a smug smirk pulling at his lips as he speaks: “Only those that can’t play the game blame the rules, Hyun”.

“What did you just say?” Woohyun growls, launching himself towards a laughing Sunggyu and almost tackling him of the couch and if Sunggyu must sit through his 100th lecture about not distracting Woohyun during the football, he thinks that every kiss he steals in this moment is well worth it.


End file.
